SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Full Circle Feed, a Syracuse–based startup company, captured a prize of $30,000 in cash and in-kind services in the Cleantech Open Northeast competition in Boston.
The same organization also recognized PureQuantum, an Ithaca–based startup, with its $1,000 “Rising Star” award for “best early stage technology with impressive future potential,” Cleantech said.
PureQuantum “can produce low-cost, easy-to-process phosphors, an important component of solid-state lighting devices, and in doing so will make the LED [light-emitting diode] bulb affordable enough to replace the more wasteful CFL bulb in homes and offices,” according to a description on the Cleantech Open Northeast website.
CFL is short for compact fluorescent lamp, according to a Google search of the abbreviation.
Cleantech Open Northeast is the Northeast division of Cleantech Open, described as the “world’s largest cleantech accelerator” in a news release posted on its website. The nonprofit says its mission is to “find, fund and foster entrepreneurs with big ideas that address today’s most urgent energy, environmental, and economic challenges.”
Cleantech on Monday notified the Business Journal News Network that Full Circle Feed was one of four regional winners at its awards gala held Oct. 28 in Boston.
Full Circle Feed creates uses discarded people food from institutional dining halls to create dog treats.
The firm contends its dog biscuits “fill a niche,” providing a “sustainable and environmentally-friendly” treat in a market “where none exists.”
Besides the Syracuse firm, Cleantech also honored three other startups, all of which are based in Boston, the organization said.
A total of 32 startups participated in the competition.
The regional winners move on to represent the Northeast region at the National Cleantech Open competition in San Francisco Nov. 12-13.
They will compete with “emerging” environmental and energy-technology firms throughout the nation for the national grand prize of $200,000 in cash and services.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com